Liquid container



June 23, 1931.

M. D. COCHRAN 1,811,493

LIQUID CONTAINER Filed March 14, 1951 12 H 11 if T gwwntoz MOREYD. GncHQnN,

Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOREY D. COCHR-AN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL SOLVENTS, IN 0., OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA LIQUID CONTAINER Application filed March 14, 1931. Serial No. 522,583.

My invention is concerned with a container for cleaning fluids of the general type set forth in the copending application of Paul Runnels, Serial No. 444,956, filed April 17,

1930. That application describes a cleaning fluid container having an opening at its top, such opening being covered with an absorbent pad of felt or similar material which, when the container is inverted, becomes satin urated with the cleaning fluid and may be rubbed upon the fabric or other material being cleaned. 7

It is the object of my invention to produce such a container in which the rate at which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the pad when the container is inverted will be definitely controlled. A further object of my invention is to produce such a device in which the danger of loss of cleaning fluid is minimized. A

still further object of my invention is to simplify and reduce the cost of construction of a cleaning-fluid container.

In carrying out my invention I provide at the open end of the container a'liquid-apply- 5 ing pad and beneath such pad a layer of porous material. Separating the pad from the layer of porous material and the latter from the interior of the container I provide bafiies which are impervious to the cleaning fluid within the container except for definitely located openings through which the cleaningfluid may pass, at least some of the openings in one baifle being out of alinement with the opening or openings in the other bafile, so

that a part of the cleaning fluid, in escaping from the container, will pass laterally through the porous layer between the two baifles. By providing for the container a cover so arranged that when in place it compresses the porous material between the two battles, the container is efl'ectively sealed and all possibility of leakage prevented.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of my invention: Fig. 1 is an elevation of a cleaning-fluid container, the neck and parts associated therewith being shown in section; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views respectively of the two baflies which control the rate of fluid flow; Fig. 4 is a fragmental View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified form of construction; and Fig. 5 is another view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating another modification.

The container 10 illustrated in the drawings is of sheet-metal having a neck 11 provided with screw-threads. At the upper end of the neck 11 the material thereof is bent inwardly to provide an annular flange 12 which serves as a support for the cleaning pad and flowcontrolling means.

Resting directly upon the flange 12 a battle 13 is shown in the drawings. Superposed upon this baffle there are, in order, a layer of porous material 14, a second baflle 15, a disk 16 of absorbent material, and the cleaning pad 17. These parts are conveniently held in position on the container by means of a screw-threaded collar 18 having an inwardly directed annular flange overlying the edges of the cleaning pad 17 and serving to clamp the parts against the flange 12 at the top of the neck 11. Preferably, the disk 16 is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the flange on the collar 18 in order to hold the central position of the cleaning pad above the flange on the collar 18.

The haflies l3 and 15 are of material inipervious to the cleaning fluid. These baflles may be of waxed paper, metal foil, or other flexible material; or, if desired, they may be comparatively rigid as they would be if formed of sheet-metal.

Each of the baffles 13 and 15 is provided with one or more openings through which the cleaning fluid within the container can escape to the cleaner pad 17 when the fluid container is inverted. As shown in the drawings, the baffle 13 is provided with a single opening 20 located at the center of the battle, and the baffle 15 is provided with two diametrically opposite eccentric openings 21.

It will be apparent that any fluid passing through the opening 20 in the baffle 13 will be forced to seep laterally through the layer 14 of porous material before it can reach the openings 21 in the baflie 15 and escape therethrough to the disk 16 and cleaning pad 17. The rate at which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the pad 17 is therefore seen to be dependent upon the amount of lateral displacement of the hole or holes in the baflie 13 relative to the hole or holes in the battle 15. The greater the misalinement between the holes in the baffle 13 and the holes in the baflle 15, the greater will be the distance through which the cleaning fluid has to pass in the absorbent layer 1.4, and the slower will be the rate of escape of cleaning fluid.

The fluid passing through the openings in the upper baflle 15 is received by the disk 1t}, which, by capillary action, distributes 1t evenly to the pad 17. I

When the device is not in use, the pad 17 may be protected by a cover 25 which is conveniently screw-threadedly mounted upon the collar 18. The parts are so arranged that the closed end 26 of the cover can be brought directly into engagement with the cleaning pad 17 to compress the disk 16 and the layer 14 of absorbent material. Owing to this compression/these parts are made to act as gaskets which prevent the escape of cleaning fluid from the container, even'when the container is inverted.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Fig. 4, the baffle 13 is eliminated as a separate piece, its place being taken and its function performed by the flange 12 which closes the upper end of the neck 11 except for a small flow-controlling opening 20 near the center similar in function to the opening 20 in the baifle13.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, the lower baflle 25 is shown as provided with two spaced liquid passing openings 25 although a different number of holes can be used if desired. The upper bafile 27 is shown as having no liquid-passing opening but as being smaller in diameter than the disk 14 and cleaning pad 17 In such a construction, when the can is inverted, liquid passes through the hole or holes on the bafiie 25 into the absorbent layer 14. At least part of such liquid entering the layer 14 passes laterally therethrough, around the edge of the baflle 27, and to the cleaning pad 17.

I claim as my invention 1. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said opening, and means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising two baflles and an interposed layer of porous material, each of said baffles having one or more liquid-passing holes, any hole or holes in one baflie being out of alinement with the hole or holes in the other baflie whereby liquid will be directed to flow laterally through said layer of porous material.

2. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said opening, means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising two bafties and an interposed layer of compressible porous material, each of said bafiles having one or more liquid-passing holes, any hole or holes in one battle being outof alinement with the hole or holes in the other baflle whereby liquid will be directed to flow laterally through said layer of porous material, and means for compressing said porous layer to retard the lateral passage of liquid therethrough. a

3. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said opening, means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising a layer of compressible porous material beneath said disk, battles for directing liquid flow laterally through said porous layer, and means for compressing said porous layer to retard the lateral passage of liquid therethrough.

4. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said openin means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising two baffles and an interposed layer of compressible porous material, each of said bafiles having one or more liquid-passing holes, any hole or holes in one baflie being out of alinement with the hole or holes in the other bafile whereby liquid will be directed to flow laterally through said layer of porous material, and a cover for said absorbent disk, said cover being arranged when in place to compress said porous layer to retard the passage of liquid therethrough.

5. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at its top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said opening, means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising a layer of compressible porous material beneath said disk, baflles for directing liquid flow laterally through said porous layer, and a cover for said absorbent disk, said cover being arranged when in place to compress said porous layer to retard the lateral passage of liquid therethrough.

6. A container for liquids, comprising a hollow body having an opening at 1ts top, a disk of absorbent material supported over said opening, and means for regulating the supply of liquid to said disk when the container is inverted, said means comprising two bafiles and an interposed layer of porous material, one of said baflles being smaller in diameter than the other and such other baflle having one or more liquid-passing openings located within the periphery of the smaller baflle whereby liquld passing through said openings will be directed to flow laterally and around the edge of said smaller bafiie,

said smaller baffie being located between the absorbent disk and the porous layer.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this th day of March, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one.

MOREY D. COCHRAN. 

